A Dilemma on Where to Eat in Vienna?

Whether you want a quick bite near the convention centre, after the low-down on the local cuisine, or you’re looking for a hidden gem in downtown Vienna, read on!

Staying close to home

Food options close to the convention centre are severely limited — and far from the best that Vienna has to offer — but you can’t beat the convenience.

For lunch or dinner, swing into the black monolith of Meilá Vienna hotel at Donau-City-Straße 7 to the Flow Bar and Restaurant on E level (check out the avocado cheesecake on the dessert menu), or feel exclusive by asking a hotel staff to let you into the mysterious express elevator, to dine on the 57th floor in the aptly-named 57 Restaurant. (There’s also a small staircase from here to a rooftop cocktail bar.)

Traditional fare in downtown Vienna

If you’re in the mood for Wiener Schnitzel (a thin breaded, pan-fried veal cutlet) or Tafelspitz (boiled veal or beef in a broth with minced apples and horseradish), head to the restaurant Plachutta, Wollzeile 38, close to Stephansplatz.

You’ll find an infinite variety of goulash (hearty meat or, occasionally, mushroom stew) all around the city, but for sheer dedication to the dish, it’s impossible to beat Gulaschmuseum at Schulerstraße 20. With fifteen varieties of goulash on the menu, you’re sure to find a new favourite flavour. As an extra bonus, it’s open until 23:00 every day.

For other traditional favourites, such as Cordon bleu (breaded schnitzel stuffed with ham and cheese), Leberkäse (gelatinous meat in bread) or geröstete Knödel (roast potato dumpling), head to the upscale-yet-rustic Griechenbeisl at Fleischmarkt 11 or Steman at Otto-Bauer-Gasse 7 in Mariahilf.

For a more modern take on classic Viennese cuisine, head to Skopik & Lohn at Leopoldsgasse 17 in Leopoldstadt. Originally intended to open in New York, the chique destination was designed by Austrian contemporary artist Otto Zitko.

Tracking down the “v” in Viennese cuisine

While it can feel like Vienna is a city reserved for meat-lovers, it has a rich vegetarian and vegan restaurant scene.

Hollerei at Hollergasse 9 in Rudolfsheim-Fünfhaus offers an ever-changing variety of vegan and vegetarian Asian and Mediterranean options. It’s both relaxed and cozy, with a garden perfect to eat outdoors on warm summer nights.

Café Gagarin at Garnisongasse 24 in Alservorstadt is a relaxed, casual cafe popular near the University of Vienna, focused on locally-sourced and fair trade products. The cafe asks diners to decide for themselves how much they can afford to pay, making it a budget-friendly option.

You can also check out Naschmarkt located at Wienzeile over the Wienfluss, a 16th century market with hundreds of stalls offering food and vintage goods. It’s both a destination and a place to grab a bite to eat, and nearly guarantees you’ll come home with unique souvenirs from your journey to Vienna.

If you find yourself at Prater riding the merry-go-round, you’ll want to grab a langos (fried batter with garlic) at one if the many snack shops around the amusement park. If you’re wanting to rest those weary legs, sit down at the rustic beer hall Schweizerhaus at Prater 116.